Outdoor Movies and Drive-ins in the NYC Area

During the pandemic, drive-in and outdoor movie experiences made a comeback. And now—they seem to be here to stay! There are many family-friendly outdoor movies and drive-ins in NYC, Long Island, New Jersey and upstate New York. From classic drive-in experiences outdoors to movies in the park, there's a family flick happening in just about every community throughout the city and nearby. Browse our list of drive-in and outdoor movies in NYC and nearby, and be on your way to summer film fun!

RELATED: Find 100+ ideas for summer fun in the Family Fun Guide!

Outdoor Movies in NYC 

Movies Under the Stars

Various public parks across NYC
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Cost: Free
Bring beach chairs or blankets to watch movies under the stars in your local park! The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and NYC Parks  bring film screenings to public parks and playgrounds across all five boroughs throughout the summer. Enjoy all-time favorites—including Soul, Encanto, Space Jam: A New Legacy and many more—all summer long for free! Visit the parks website for details on dates, times, and locations of screenings.

Skyline Drive-In 

1 Oak St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn
347-462-0353
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Cost: $55 per car (up to 7 passengers); $65 VIP Car Experience; $35, motorcycle; $19.50, single outdoor seat

This drive-in movie theater in NYC has a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline. Visit the Skyline Drive-In website and pick the movie you want to see and you can listen to the movie's sound through your car's stereo. There are outdoor speakers as well. You can bring your own chair or rent one if you don't have a car. 

Movies with a View

Pier 1, Harbor View Lawn, Brooklyn Bridge Park
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Cost: Free, seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis

In addition to enjoying a movie screening at this popular event in Brooklyn Bridge Park, moviegoers can enjoy food and beverages from Smorgasburg vendors, a pre-screening DJ set selected by Brooklyn Radio, and a short film by local filmmakers selected by BAM Film. Plus, there will be a free bike valet to park your bikes. The theme for this year's Movies with a View is Away We Go. Movies are on Thursdays, July 7-Aug. 25; 6pm:

• July 7: Before Sunrise

• July 14: The Bourne Identity

• July 21: Crazy Rich Asians

• July 28: How Stella Got Her Groove Back

• Aug. 4: Jurassic Park

• Aug. 11: Thelma and Louise

• Aug. 18: The Mitchells vs. the Machines

• Aug. 25: Public choice (Back to the Future, Mamma Mia!, Mission Impossible)

Movie Nights in Bryant Park 

Bryant Park, between 40 and 42 Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues, Manhattan
212-768-4242
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Cost: Free
The summer schedule features 10 screenings on Mondays throughout the summer. The lawn opens at 5pm, and movies begin at 8pm. Movie-goers can purchase beer, wine and snacks by Stout NYC. The schedule: 

• June 27: Hairspray (2007)

• July 4: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

• July 11: Wayne's World 2

• July 18: Scream 2

• July 25: Beverly Hills Cop 2

• Aug. 1: Star Trek: First Contact 

• Aug. 8: Grease 2

• Aug. 15: The Godfather: Part II

Randall's Island Park Movie Nights

20 Randall's Island Park, Manhattan
212-830-7722
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Cost: Free
Enjoy a movie night at Randall's Island Park. Movies begin at 8 pm. 

• July 10: Encanto (there's also a picnic event that begins at 6pm)

• July 17: Dune

• Aug. 12: Eternals (there's also a picnic event that begins at 6pm)

• Aug. 21: Zootopia (there's also a picnic event that begins at 6pm)

Films on the Green 

Various parks throughout NYC
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Cost: Free
These films are in French with English subtitles. The series is a French film festival produced annually in city parks by Villa Albertine, the French Embassy, NYC Parks and FACE Foundation. Films begin at sunset (8:30pm in June and July, and 7:30pm in September). The schedule:

• June 24: Le Capitan (Transmitter Park, Brooklyn)

• July 1: Touchez pas au Grisbi (Tompkins Square Park, Manhattan)

• July 8: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (Seward Park, Manhattan)

• July 13: Fever Mounts at El Pao (J. Hood Wright Park, Manhattan)

• July 15: The Class (Seward Park, Manhattan)

• July 22: Mandabi (Riverside Park, Pier 1, Manhattan)

• July 29: Delicacy (Riverside Park Pier 1, Manhattan)

• Sept. 8: The Velvet Queen (Columbia University, Manhattan)

• Sept. 9: Eleanor's Secret (McGolrick Park, Brooklyn)

Governors Island Film Series

Get to the island by taking the ferry from Manhattan at 10 South St. Boats run daily.
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Cost: Free
Governors Island Arts and Film at Lincoln Center bring back their free outdoor film series that will take place on the island's historic Parade Ground—an expansive eight-acre lawn with wide-open views of Lower Manhattan. Movies start at dusk, pre-show activities at 7pm:

• July 1:  Hedwig and the Angry Inch

• Aug. 5: The Wiz 

Outdoor Movies in Long Island

Town of Oyster Bay Summer Movies by Moonlight

Town of Oyster Bay
516-797-7925
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Cost: Free; limited to residents only
The Town of Oyster Bay is bringing back its Movies by Moonlight summer movie series, held at various parks throughout the town. The series is limited to residents on a first-come, first served basis. Vehicles will be admitted starting at 6pm, and movies will begin at dusk.

• July 7: The Little Mermaid (Harry Tappen Beach, Glenwood Landing)

• July 14: Encanto (Marjorie R. Post Community Park, Massapequa)

• July 21: Frozen II (Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park and Beach, Oyster Bay)

• July 28: Luca (Ellsworth W. Allen Park, Farmingdale)

• Aug. 4: Clifford the Big Red Dog (Plainview-Old Bethpage Community Park, Plainview)

• Aug. 11: Sing 2 (Syosset-Woodbury Community Park, Woodbury)

KiDS NEED MoRE DRiVE-iN MoViE NiGHT Series

Costello's Ace Hardware & Garden Center of Copiague, 705 Montauk Highway, Copiague
Cost: By donation; tickets for raffles are also available
Once a month, the hardware store hosts a drive-in movie as a fundraiser for KiDS NEED More, benefitting kids with life-threatening illness. Movies begin at 8:30pm. The next movie is Jungle Cruise on June 25. More movies to be announced, but other dates include: July 30, Aug. 28, Sept. 24, Oct. 29 and Dec. 3. 

Club 454’s Movies Under the Stars 

Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville
Cost: $25 per car; $20 pre-pay online.

This fundraiser is hosted by Boy Scout Troop 454. All movies will start at sunset, and the lot opens at 6:30pm. Upcoming movies include:
July 17: The Goonies

•  July 16: Wreck-it Ralph

•  Aug. 27: Sing 2

•  Sept. 24: Grease

•  Oct. 29: Double feature where you pay one price and stay for two: Hotel Transylvania 2 and Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.

Jamesport Farm Brewery

5873 Sound Ave., Riverhead
844-532-2337
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Cost: TBA
The brewery will announce more details for its Movies Under the Stars events planned for this summer and fall. 

Town of Huntington Drive-In Movies

Various locations
631-351-3089
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Cost: Call for information.
Movies start at 8:30pm. The schedule:

• July 13: Spider-Man (Crab Meadow Beach)

• July 27: Grease (Quentin Sammis West Neck Beach)

• Aug. 3: Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Dix Hills Park)

• Aug. 10: Black Panther (Huntington Senior Center)

• Aug. 17: Encanto (Huntington Senior Center)

Town of North Hempstead Movies in the Park

Various locations
516-869-6311
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Cost: Call for information.
Summer in North Hempstead is gearing up for fun with these movies in the park. The schedule: